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SURVEY OF ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF CUSTODIAL STAFF IN JAILS - CIVILIAN V SWORN OFFICERS

NCJ Number
54732
Author(s)
W RANKIN; J EASTERDAY
Date Published
1977
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THE WISCONSIN COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE MAILED A QUESTIONNAIRE TO STAFF MEMBERS OF 13 WISCONSIN JAILS. THE 110 REPLIES SHOW THAT BOTH CIVILIANS AND SWORN POLICE OFFICERS HOLD SIMILAR ATTITUDES ON REHABILITATION.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO TEST THE PROPOSITION PUT FORTH BY SOME RESEARCHERS THAT MORE CIVILIANS SHOULD BE RECRUITED AS CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN COUNSELING AND REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE MAILED TO 200 CORRECTIONAL STAFF MEMBERS. THE 110 REPLIES REPRESENTED 30 CIVILIANS AND 80 POLICE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO THE JAIL ON A MORE OR LESS REGULAR BASIS. IT WAS FOUND THAT AGE, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT REPLIES. ABOUT EQUAL PERCENTAGES OF CIVILIANS AND POLICE OFFICERS VIEWED JAILS AS DETENTION CENTERS THAT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES (49 PERCENT OVERALL). THOSE WHO FELT THAT JAILS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WERE MORE LIKELY TO BELIEVE THAT REHABILITATION WAS PART OF THE CUSTODIAL STAFF'S JOB. CIVILIANS WERE SLIGHTLY MORE LIKELY TO FAVOR REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES, BUT THIS FINDING IS OFFSET BY THE FACT THAT MOST OF THE CIVILIANS WERE HIRED SPECIFICALLY FOR REHABILITATION PROJECTS. THE SWORN POLICE OFFICERS WERE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR ATTITUDES IN KEEPING THE JAIL ATMOSPHERE CALM AND FREE OF HOSTILITY. BOTH GROUPS CITED TIME AND RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS FOR NOT DOING MORE COUNSELING. INSTEAD, BOTH RECOMMENDED A MORE ACTIVE ROLE FOR VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE BACKGROUND OF CORRECTIONAL STAFF PERSONNEL IS NOT NEARLY AS IMPORTANT AS THE INDIVIDUAL'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE JAIL SITUATION. IT IS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT IT MAY BE UNFAIR TO EXPECT CUSTODIAL STAFF TO ASSUME REHABILITATION DUTIES. (GLR)

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